George Is On

Ali 'Dubfire' Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi have kept their Deep Dish project near the top of the house music game for at least ten years now, and yet in that time the duo have released just one artist album, 1998s Junk Science. They've not been idle though, with their Yoshitoshi label clocking up more than one hundred releases, several mix albums and a mass of remixes, from Everything But The Girl to none other than the Rolling Stones. Their remixing prowess earned them a Grammy nomination in 2001 in the Remixer Of The Year category and in 2002 they were nominated and won a Grammy in the Best Remixed Recording category for their mix of Dido’s hit single Thank You. 2005 could well be Deep Dish's most successful year yet with their release of George is On, a collection of songs that owe much to dance music's current obsession with rocky guitar riffs. Although, to be fair, Ali and Sharam are pretty much responsible for that trend following their breakout pop smash Flashdance. George is On exemplifies Deep Dish’s uncanny ability to mix genres, as the Iranian-American duo brilliantly marries classic 70’s/80’s-era rock and pop sounds with their signature deep and sexy dancefloor production and knack for creating subtly big songs.

Say Hello, with vocalist Anousheh Khalili's ethereal delivery is set against a backdrop of classical piano chords has further fuelled their chart statue, while the forthcoming re-issue of their top 10 production of De'Lacy's Hide Away will further stoke their coffers. Despite initially being pigeonholed as deep-house producers, the Washington-based duo have never allowed their music to be dictated by fads or trends; their sound now encompassing a multitude of genres similarly reflecting their varied multi-faceted tastes. From the rocky Sacramento with Richard Morel, via the electro fuelled Everybody's Wearing My Head to the twisted house of Dub Shepherd complete with the Celeda-esque charms of Janis Leahy. There are even folksy beats (Awake Enough), melancholic interstellar ambience (In Love With A Friend), and cinematic soundscapes (Sergio's Theme). Elsewhere a timely guest appearance from Stevie Nicks on a stirring cover of Dreams will appeal to radio listeners as much as ardent Ibiza clubbers.

There’s an excellence in production for The George is On that reminds us that Deep Dish is a Grammy winning duo. They exceed the boundaries of electronic music and produce addictive quality tracks that are without status quo mediocre playbacks. This album is full of fresh, innovative and powerful sound. Both dusk and dawn friendly, with this album Deep Dish have have managed to succeed where so many others have failed. George is On feels like anything but your typical collection of club hits. Ali and Sharam have consistently proved themselves as two of dance music's most intriguing and uncompromising figures. They just make great music in their own inimitable style, and one that has attracted millions of fans the world over. From the start of their careers they've shown that whether it's guitars or samplers, keyboards or drums, they're a musical tour de force beyond the restrictive genre confines of dance music. And it's to be hoped Deep Dish don't wait another seven years before releasing their next album!